I live in Shelburne point for part of the year and continually utilize the trails at the Farm. I would be interested in participating in volunteer opportunities and fund raising events
Dear friend of Shelburne Farms,
Despite entering the third season of a pandemic, we have lots to offer and many things to celebrate. Here’s what we’ve been up to and what you can expect this season. We are:
- Celebrating 50 years! This summer marks fifty years since the education nonprofit, Shelburne Farms Resources, Inc., was launched with the idea that through education we could help build a better world. Thanks to our amazing community of supporters, and the gift of the property to the nonprofit in 1984, we’ve grown an international network of educators and transformed the former private estate into a beautiful and powerful place of learning for a sustainable future.
- Introducing the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools. This is an umbrella, connecting hub for all our professional learning programs for educators preK-12. In partnership with the University of Vermont we are launching two innovative Education for Sustainability graduate certificate programs this year. We’re also expanding our farm to school professional learning model across the country!
- Opening our trails by donation. The past two years crystallized the value of having places to seek respite and renewal in nature, so we’re offering our trails by donation again, because we believe everyone should have access to places of natural beauty. Expanding trail access, conserving land, improving our historic buildings and landscape, and creating a more diverse and inclusive community is a significant commitment. Come visit and learn, and know that your support is now more important than ever.
- Working toward achieving carbon drawdown by 2028. Drawdown is the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline. To that end, we continue to invest in renewable solar power, which is close to offsetting 100% of our electricity needs. We’re adopting and expanding new electric technologies like heat pumps and electric vehicles and mowers that emit zero direct carbon emissions. And we are experimenting with using biochar at the dairy to control nitrous oxide emissions in the manure pits.
- Educating for a sustainable future. Throughout the pandemic, we never stopped delivering on our educational mission close to home, internationally, and remotely, but it feels good to be opening up our campus more this summer, with workshops for educators, onsite programs for learners, our Children’s Farmyard, daily cheesemaking, summer camps, and our Farm Store showcasing products grown from our working farm.
- Welcoming overnight guests at the Inn. After two quiet years, we are excited to be opening the Inn’s doors again as a way for visitors to experience all that we offer here. Dining reservations for the community will open when we have staffing in place to do so. Keep an eye on our website.
As always, none of this is possible without the help of the many friends of Shelburne Farms. Thanks again for being part of the Shelburne Farms community. Here’s to the next 50 years.
With deep gratitude,
Alec Webb
President
Comments
Hello neighbor! Thanks for your interest in volunteer opportunities. While we are not actively recruiting for volunteers at the moment, you can forward your information to Delanté Keys in our main office, dkeys@shelburnefarms.org. And maybe we'll see you on our walking trails sometime soon! -- Holly
Hi. My husband and i will be in VT, for the 1st time, August 18th to 21st. Will we will able to come to your farm and learn how cheese is made? Is your store open?
Thank you,
Patti
Hi Patti, Yes, you are welcome to visit August 18-21. We'll be here! And our store will be open and we'll be making cheese. Hope to see you then.
Are you offering guided wagon tours of the farm property this season...??
Thanks..!
Hi Bruce,
We are not offering guided property tours this season, but we are offering a variety of Formal Garden and Sun-to-Cheese tours. For the most current info, check out our calendar: https://shelburnefarms.org/calendar Sun-to-Cheese tours are offered every Friday. Formal Garden tours are a bit more sporadic. I hope you can make it out for a visit!
Are you having the harvest festival in 2022
Hi Roger, unfortunately, Shelburne Farms will not be able to host the Harvest Festival in 2022. It takes enormous effort to successfully plan and produce the event, and as we continue to navigate the pandemic, we are focusing our attention on reintroducing our education and visitor programs.
Thank you for all you do for our community! We spent a lot of time at Harvest Festivals with our daughter over the last decade plus and do miss it. We'll look forward to its return!
One of our favorite activities was making wreaths from the grasses/vines of the farm. There was one amazingly fragrant plan that was grassy with small pustule like flowers that smelled so sweet and fresh. I asked the name at the last festival we attended but cannot recall. I am planting a wildflower/grass section in our yard and would love to include it. Would any members of your team know the name/plant type. Not alot of information to go on other than it was so fragrant!
Thanking you in advance for any info you can provide!
Adrianna Benson
Waterbury Center
Oh, we know the plant you're referring to: It's called Sweet Annie! Plant it once and it will reseed over and over (I have it in my own garden.) Enjoy! And thanks for thinking of the farm.